US20030202429A1 - Magneto-optical recording method and apparatus for recording information by using pulsed laser and modulation magnetic field - Google Patents

Magneto-optical recording method and apparatus for recording information by using pulsed laser and modulation magnetic field Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20030202429A1
US20030202429A1 US10/419,845 US41984503A US2003202429A1 US 20030202429 A1 US20030202429 A1 US 20030202429A1 US 41984503 A US41984503 A US 41984503A US 2003202429 A1 US2003202429 A1 US 2003202429A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
recording
magneto
magnetic field
phase
recording power
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
US10/419,845
Other versions
US7136328B2 (en
Inventor
Yasuyuki Miyaoka
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Canon Inc
Original Assignee
Canon Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Canon Inc filed Critical Canon Inc
Assigned to CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA reassignment CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: MIYAOKA, YASUYUKI
Publication of US20030202429A1 publication Critical patent/US20030202429A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US7136328B2 publication Critical patent/US7136328B2/en
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current
Adjusted expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Images

Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B11/00Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B11/10Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field
    • G11B11/105Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field using a beam of light or a magnetic field for recording by change of magnetisation and a beam of light for reproducing, i.e. magneto-optical, e.g. light-induced thermomagnetic recording, spin magnetisation recording, Kerr or Faraday effect reproducing
    • G11B11/10502Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field using a beam of light or a magnetic field for recording by change of magnetisation and a beam of light for reproducing, i.e. magneto-optical, e.g. light-induced thermomagnetic recording, spin magnetisation recording, Kerr or Faraday effect reproducing characterised by the transducing operation to be executed
    • G11B11/10504Recording
    • G11B11/1051Recording by modulating both the magnetic field and the light beam at the transducers
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B11/00Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B11/10Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field
    • G11B11/105Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field using a beam of light or a magnetic field for recording by change of magnetisation and a beam of light for reproducing, i.e. magneto-optical, e.g. light-induced thermomagnetic recording, spin magnetisation recording, Kerr or Faraday effect reproducing
    • G11B11/10502Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field using a beam of light or a magnetic field for recording by change of magnetisation and a beam of light for reproducing, i.e. magneto-optical, e.g. light-induced thermomagnetic recording, spin magnetisation recording, Kerr or Faraday effect reproducing characterised by the transducing operation to be executed
    • G11B11/1053Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field using a beam of light or a magnetic field for recording by change of magnetisation and a beam of light for reproducing, i.e. magneto-optical, e.g. light-induced thermomagnetic recording, spin magnetisation recording, Kerr or Faraday effect reproducing characterised by the transducing operation to be executed to compensate for the magnetic domain drift or time shift
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B11/00Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B11/10Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field
    • G11B11/105Recording on or reproducing from the same record carrier wherein for these two operations the methods are covered by different main groups of groups G11B3/00 - G11B7/00 or by different subgroups of group G11B9/00; Record carriers therefor using recording by magnetic means or other means for magnetisation or demagnetisation of a record carrier, e.g. light induced spin magnetisation; Demagnetisation by thermal or stress means in the presence or not of an orienting magnetic field using a beam of light or a magnetic field for recording by change of magnetisation and a beam of light for reproducing, i.e. magneto-optical, e.g. light-induced thermomagnetic recording, spin magnetisation recording, Kerr or Faraday effect reproducing
    • G11B11/10595Control of operating function
    • GPHYSICS
    • G11INFORMATION STORAGE
    • G11BINFORMATION STORAGE BASED ON RELATIVE MOVEMENT BETWEEN RECORD CARRIER AND TRANSDUCER
    • G11B7/00Recording or reproducing by optical means, e.g. recording using a thermal beam of optical radiation by modifying optical properties or the physical structure, reproducing using an optical beam at lower power by sensing optical properties; Record carriers therefor
    • G11B7/12Heads, e.g. forming of the optical beam spot or modulation of the optical beam
    • G11B7/125Optical beam sources therefor, e.g. laser control circuitry specially adapted for optical storage devices; Modulators, e.g. means for controlling the size or intensity of optical spots or optical traces
    • G11B7/126Circuits, methods or arrangements for laser control or stabilisation
    • G11B7/1267Power calibration

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the so-called pulse-assisted magnetic-field-modulation-recording-system magneto-optical recording method and apparatus for recording information by applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to the information by a magnetic head while irradiating a magneto-optical recording medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse.
  • a magnetic-field-modulation magneto-optical recording apparatus information is recorded in a magneto-optical disk by arranging an optical head and a magnetic head so as to interpose the magneto-optical disk between the heads and applying a magnetic field whose polarities are reversed in accordance with a recording signal generated by the magnetic head to the magneto-optical disk while irradiating the magneto-optical disk with a laser beam emitted from the optical head.
  • the magnetic-field-modulation recording system is roughly divided into two types.
  • One of the types is a DC-magnetic-field-modulation recording system for recording data by DC-emitting a laser beam and applying a magnetic field to be modulated corresponding to a recording signal to a magneto-optical recording medium from a magnetic head
  • the other one of them is the so-called pulse-assisted magnetic-field-modulation recording system for recording data by emitting a laser beam like a pulse to optimize a temperature rise and a temperature distribution and applying a magnetic field to be modulated corresponding to a recording signal to a magneto-optical recording medium from a magnetic head.
  • the latter system is recently noticed because the S/N of a reproduction signal can be further improved.
  • the light-emitting period and light-emitting phase are controlled synchronously with a clock signal whose pulse width is set to a value smaller than the modulation period of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic head.
  • a phase relation between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field generated by a magnetic head is important and the laser pulse and modulation magnetic field greatly influence a signal quality.
  • the change speed hereafter referred to as “switching speed” of magnetic-field polarities of a modulation magnetic field is important.
  • the pulse-assisted magnetic-field-modulation recording is a recording system in which a pulse laser beam is irradiated to a magneto-optical recording medium, the magneto-optical recording medium is raised in temperature, magnetization is decided corresponding to the polarity of an applied magnetic field while the temperature of the magneto-optical recording medium is lowered, and a recording mark is formed.
  • a pulse laser beam is irradiated to a magneto-optical recording medium
  • the magneto-optical recording medium is raised in temperature
  • magnetization is decided corresponding to the polarity of an applied magnetic field while the temperature of the magneto-optical recording medium is lowered, and a recording mark is formed.
  • the temperature lowering if an applied magnetic field expands to the switching region of a modulation magnetic field and a magnetic field is not applied at a sufficient intensity, the quality of a reproduction signal is extremely deteriorated.
  • the laser-beam irradiation timing to the change timing of polarities of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic head is set to a timing at which optimum recording can be performed.
  • a request for further improving the recording density of a magneto-optical recording medium to realize a large capacity has been raised in recent years and it is requested to decrease the pitch between recording tracks and downsize a recording mark.
  • Downsizing of a recording mark can be settled by accelerating a modulation magnetic field. At the same time, however, there is a problem that it is difficult to secure a sufficient phase margin and thereby, the quality of a reproduction signal is deteriorated. This point is described below in detail.
  • the period Tw-Ts obtained by subtracting a modulation-magnetic-field polarity change speed (hereafter referred to as modulation-magnetic-field switching speed) Ts from a laser-pulse modulation cycle Tw serves as a substantial relative phase margin between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field.
  • modulation-magnetic-field switching speed a modulation-magnetic-field polarity change speed
  • the phase margin between the laser pulse and modulation magnetic field becomes approx. 10 ns.
  • the period in which a magnetic-field intensity is saturated decreases and the phase margin between the laser pulse and modulation magnetic field is further decreased.
  • phase margin cannot be sufficiently secured, a phase shift exceeding the phase margin between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field may almost certainly occur due to a phase shift caused by the fluctuation of electrical components constituting an apparatus, a phase shift caused by the temperature characteristic of an electric system, or a phase shift caused due to environmental change such as temperature and thereby a signal quality is deteriorated.
  • the present invention has been made to solve the above problems and its object is to provide a magneto-optical recording method and apparatus for recording information in which, even when a recording power or medium temperature fluctuates, a sufficient phase margin can be secured to obtain a reproduction signal having a preferable quality.
  • a magneto-optical recording method of the present invention is a magneto-optical recording method of applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to information by a magnetic head while irradiating a magneto-optical recording medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse, and recording the information, comprising:
  • a magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention is a magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording information by applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to information by a magnetic head while irradiating a magneto-optical recording medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse, comprising:
  • [0021] means for recording a test signal while changing a recording power and the time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field
  • [0022] means for reproducing the recorded test signal and evaluating the quality of the reproduced signal by using a predetermined evaluation index
  • [0023] means for setting time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field to a value of a time phase of maximizing a recording power margin in accordance with the evaluation result.
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining basic recording operations of the present invention
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B are illustrations showing details of the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field phase setting circuit
  • FIG. 4 is an illustration for explaining the phase margin of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field
  • FIG. 5 is an illustration for explaining the correlation of change of temperature distribution with modulation magnetic field at the time of change of a recording power (Pw 1 , Pw 2 and Pw 3 );
  • FIG. 6 is an illustration showing an operation flow of a first embodiment of the present invention
  • FIG. 7 is an illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the first embodiment
  • FIG. 8 is an illustration showing an operation flow of a second embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 9 is an illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment
  • FIG. 10 is another illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment
  • FIG. 11 is still another illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment
  • FIG. 12 is an illustration showing an operation flow in a third embodiment of the present invention.
  • FIG. 13 is an illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the third embodiment.
  • FIG. 14 is another illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention.
  • reference numeral 1 denotes a magneto-optical disk obtained by adhering a magneto-optical recording medium 3 to a substrate 2 made of glass or plastic and moreover forming a protective film 4 on the medium 3 .
  • the magneto-optical disk 1 is supported by a spindle motor with a magnet chucking or the like so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis.
  • Reference numeral 5 denotes schematically an optical head for irradiating the magneto-optical disk 1 with a laser beam and obtaining information from reflected light, which is constituted by a condenser lens (ex.
  • NA:0.60 actuator for driving the condenser lens
  • semiconductor laser ex. ⁇ :650 nm
  • beam splitter beam splitter
  • polarization beam splitter A laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser is applied to the magneto-optical disk 1 through an optical-component group.
  • the condenser lens is controlled by the actuator so as to move in the focusing direction and the tracking direction and sequentially focus on the magneto-optical recording medium 3 and track along a guide groove formed on the magneto-optical disk.
  • the laser beam reflected from the magneto-optical disk 1 is condensed by each sensor in accordance with the difference of a deflected direction corresponding to the polarity of a magnetized magneto-optical recording medium through the optical-component group to output a magneto-optical signal by differentially amplifying the sensors.
  • a controller 6 outputs a recording power and recording signal by using the number of revolutions, recording radius, and recording sector information of a magneto-optical disk and environmental temperature as input information to control an LD driver 7 and magnetic-head driver 8 .
  • Reference numeral 9 denotes a magnetic head for applying a modulation magnetic field to a laser-irradiating portion of a magneto-optical disk when recording is performed, the magnetic head is set at one side of the magneto-optical disk 1 so as to oppose the optical head 5 at the other side of the magneto-optical disk 1 .
  • the magnetic head 9 simultaneously generates magnetic fields different from each other in polarity corresponding to a recording signal by a magnetic-field modulation driver 8 .
  • the magnetic head 9 moves in the radius direction of the magneto-optical disk 1 by interlocking with the optical head 5 and records information by sequentially applying a magnetic field to a laser-irradiating portion of the magneto-optical recording medium 3 at the time of recording.
  • the controller 6 also has a function for controlling a recording sequence and a recording power and moreover, a function for arithmetically analyzing an evaluation index for determining the quality of a signal.
  • a laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit 10 changes the relative phase relation between the phase of a pulse laser beam for performing pulse irradiation and a modulation magnetic phase, which is mainly constituted by a delay-value selection circuit composed of a delay line and a selection circuit, as shown by an example in FIG. 3A.
  • This example is constituted so as to change driving phases of a laser pulse and change phases of the laser pulse from (a) to (f) with respect to a modulation magnetic field, as shown in FIG. 3B.
  • the selection control of the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit 10 is performed by the controller 6 .
  • the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting 10 makes it possible to select and change the phase relation between a laser pulse beam to be irradiated to the surface of a magneto-optical recording medium and a modulation magnetic field to be applied to the surface of a magneto-optical recording medium.
  • FIG. 2 Basic recording operations of a magneto-optical recording medium of the present invention are described below by referring to FIG. 2.
  • reference character (a) denotes a recording signal
  • (b) denotes a pulse-modulation laser beam
  • (c) denotes a modulation magnetic field
  • (d) denotes a recoding-mark string.
  • the bottom power of the modulation laser beam is set to “zero.”
  • the bottom power is not restricted to “zero” but it may be set to a value other than. “zero.”
  • this embodiment is described by assuming that the modulation frequency of a laser beam is equal to a data clock frequency serving as the reference of a data processing operation for generating recording data.
  • the modulation frequency is not restricted to the data clock frequency. It is also allowed that the modulation frequency is equal to an integral multiple of the data clock frequency.
  • pulse irradiation is expressed by a duty of 50% in the case of this embodiment, it is not restricted to a duty of 50%. It is possible to use various duties.
  • the recording mark string (d) is formed while a magneto-optical recording medium is cooled by these recording operations.
  • This is the so-called pulse-assisted magnetic-field modulation recording.
  • the hatched portion and netted portion show magnetic domains having magnetizing directions opposite to each other.
  • a test signal is recorded in a dedicated recording test region.
  • a phase Phase_I of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field is set by the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit 10 .
  • an initial set value is not restricted, when the phase relation between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field previously set according to the present invention is stored in a memory, this value may be used as an initial value.
  • a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in track N of the recording test region.
  • the recording pattern is not restricted. It is allowed to use a recording pattern suitable for an evaluation index for evaluating the quality of a reproduction signal. Jitter, SAM (Sequenced Amplitude Margin), error rate or the like is considered as an evaluation index.
  • a recording power margin is determined in a recording power range of not more than a threshold value set in accordance with the relation between an adopted evaluation index and an error rate, that is, in the recording power range in which a preferable error rate can be taken.
  • a laser power for recording data in the track N it is allowed to set a laser power Po standardized for an apparatus as an initial value. Recording is performed by increasing the laser power Po by ⁇ P*n (n: natural number).
  • the track N is reproduced for the recording magnetic domain string in which recording is performed in accordance with the above described method to evaluate the quality of a signal in accordance with an evaluation index.
  • the central value denotes an optimum recording power but it is not restricted.
  • FIG. 7 shows results of measuring recording-power margins when changing three types of phases.
  • the axis of abscissa denotes a recording power
  • the axis of coordinate denotes an evaluation-index value
  • a broken line denotes the threshold value of an evaluation index. This embodiment uses an error rate as an evaluation index.
  • phase of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field in which a recording-power margin becomes widest is selected by repeating the above measurement to use the phase to record the information on user data. Because an optimum recording power when recording the user data is estimated as almost the median of the selected recording-power margin, the optimum recording power is set to the median of the recording power margin stored in a memory.
  • phase Phase_I of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field is set by the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit 10 .
  • an initial set value is not restricted, when the phase relation is previously stored in a memory in accordance with a technique of the present invention, this may be used as the initial set value.
  • a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in the track N of a recording test region. Because a recording pattern is not restricted, it is allowed to use a recording pattern suited to evaluate the quality of a reproduction signal. Jitter, SAM (Sequenced Amplitude Margin), error rate or the like is considered as an evaluation index. Moreover, a recording power margin is determined in a recording power range of not more than a threshold value set in accordance with the relation between an adopted evaluation index and error rate. Moreover, a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in tracks N ⁇ 1 and N+1 at the same recording power.
  • the median denotes an optimum recording power.
  • an optimum recording power is not restricted to a median.
  • FIG. 9 shows results of measuring recording power margins when changing three types of phases in the same manners as in the case of the first embodiment.
  • the axis of abscissa denotes a recording power
  • the axis of ordinate denotes an evaluation index
  • a broken line denotes a threshold value of an evaluation index.
  • An evaluation index uses an error rate.
  • phase relation 2 has the widest recording-power margin.
  • a recording power margin depends on the influence of cross write. Therefore, there is a case where the same recording power margin can be obtained even for different phases as shown in FIG. 10.
  • a phase is selected by giving priority to the minimum value of a recording power.
  • the upper limit of a recording power is decided in accordance with a cross write factor in the case of this embodiment.
  • the recording-power upper limit due to the cross write factor may be lowered by a track offset or the like from the central position of an information recording track. Therefore, it is preferable that a recording power margin can be secured in a lower recording-power region.
  • phase of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field is selected which can take a smaller value of the lower limit of a recording-power margin.
  • a phase at which the laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early with respect to a modulation magnetic field is more preferable. Because of these reasons, when the lower limits of recording powers of recording power margins have the same value in different phases, a phase at which the laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early to a modulation magnetic field is selected.
  • the phase of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field is selected and used to record the information on user data. Because an optimum recording power when recording user data is estimated as almost the median of a selected recording power margin, the optimum recording power is set to the median of a recording power margin stored in a memory.
  • a laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field setting sequence is simplified to shorten a test time by considering that the upper limit of a recording power margin is controlled by the cross write characteristic in the case of the second embodiment.
  • a test signal is recorded in a dedicated recording-test region.
  • phase Phase_I of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic phase is set to a laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit 10 .
  • an initial set value is not restricted, when the phase relation between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field previously set by a technique of the present invention is stored in a memory, this may be used.
  • a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in the track N of the recording test region.
  • a recording pattern is not restricted. It is allowed to use a pattern suited to evaluate the quality of a reproduction signal. Jitter, SAM (Sequenced Amplitude Margin), error rate or the like is considered as an evaluation index.
  • a recording power margin is determined in a recording-power range of not more than a threshold value set in accordance with the relation between an adopted evaluation index and error rate.
  • a laser power for recording of the track N can be set by assuming the laser power Po standardized for an apparatus as an initial value.
  • a laser power is increased by ⁇ P*n (n is a natural number) with respect to the laser power Po to perform recording.
  • the track N is reproduced for a recording magnetic domain string in which recording is performed in accordance with the above described method to evaluate the quality of a reproduction signal in accordance with an evaluation index.
  • FIG. 13 shows results of measuring recording power margins when changing three types of phases in the same manners as in the case of the second embodiment.
  • the axis of abscissa denotes recording power
  • the axis of ordinate denotes evaluation index
  • a broken line denotes the threshold value of an evaluation index.
  • An evaluation index uses an error rate.
  • the phase relation 2 has the smallest value of the lower limit of a recording power margin and the same result as the case of the second embodiment is obtained for the setting of the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field. This is because the upper limit of a recording power margin does not depend on the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field but it is caused by cross write and the lower limit of the recording power margin depends on the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field.
  • a phase relation in which the laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early with respect to a modulation magnetic field is selected.
  • lower limits of recording power margins are the same, it is necessary to secure the reproduction-signal characteristic in a better state when a recording power becomes higher than the lower limits.
  • the recording power becomes high an isothermal line shifts further backward in the light-beam scanning direction of a magneto-optical recording medium in the case of a temperature distribution under irradiation with a laser pulse as shown in FIG. 5. Therefore, in this temperature distribution the laser-pulse irradiating timing for obtaining a higher quality of a reproduction signal has a phase in which the timing becomes relatively early with respect to a modulation magnetic field. Because of these reasons, when lower limits of recording power margins take the same value in different phases, a phase in which a laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early with respect to a modulation magnetic field is selected and set.
  • a magneto-optical recording method and apparatus of the present invention it is possible to most widely set a recording power margin with respect to the problems of the cross write due to decrease of track pitch according to increase of density and the phase margin of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field in improvement of a high line density and high speed in the case of pulse-assisted magnetic-field modulation recording. That is, it is possible to prevent the quality of a reproduction signal from deteriorating against a change of phase relation due to the fluctuation of a recording power or a medium temperature and secure a preferable signal quality. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the cross write of adjacent tracks at the same time.

Abstract

The present invention provides a magneto-optical recording method capable of securing a sufficient phase margin, even if a recording power or medium temperature fluctuates, and obtaining a reproduction signal having a preferable quality, wherein the time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field are set to a time phase of maximizing in which a recording power margin.

Description

    BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
  • 1. Field of the Invention [0001]
  • The present invention relates to the so-called pulse-assisted magnetic-field-modulation-recording-system magneto-optical recording method and apparatus for recording information by applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to the information by a magnetic head while irradiating a magneto-optical recording medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse. [0002]
  • 2. Related Background Art [0003]
  • In the case of a magnetic-field-modulation magneto-optical recording apparatus, information is recorded in a magneto-optical disk by arranging an optical head and a magnetic head so as to interpose the magneto-optical disk between the heads and applying a magnetic field whose polarities are reversed in accordance with a recording signal generated by the magnetic head to the magneto-optical disk while irradiating the magneto-optical disk with a laser beam emitted from the optical head. [0004]
  • The magnetic-field-modulation recording system is roughly divided into two types. One of the types is a DC-magnetic-field-modulation recording system for recording data by DC-emitting a laser beam and applying a magnetic field to be modulated corresponding to a recording signal to a magneto-optical recording medium from a magnetic head, and the other one of them is the so-called pulse-assisted magnetic-field-modulation recording system for recording data by emitting a laser beam like a pulse to optimize a temperature rise and a temperature distribution and applying a magnetic field to be modulated corresponding to a recording signal to a magneto-optical recording medium from a magnetic head. The latter system is recently noticed because the S/N of a reproduction signal can be further improved. [0005]
  • In this case, polarities of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic head are changed at the timing at which record data is modulated. [0006]
  • In the case of an optical head, however, the light-emitting period and light-emitting phase are controlled synchronously with a clock signal whose pulse width is set to a value smaller than the modulation period of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic head. In the case of the pulse-assisted magnetic-field-modulation recording, a phase relation between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field generated by a magnetic head is important and the laser pulse and modulation magnetic field greatly influence a signal quality. Moreover, to realize a high density and a high speed, the change speed (hereafter referred to as “switching speed”) of magnetic-field polarities of a modulation magnetic field is important. [0007]
  • The pulse-assisted magnetic-field-modulation recording is a recording system in which a pulse laser beam is irradiated to a magneto-optical recording medium, the magneto-optical recording medium is raised in temperature, magnetization is decided corresponding to the polarity of an applied magnetic field while the temperature of the magneto-optical recording medium is lowered, and a recording mark is formed. During the temperature lowering, if an applied magnetic field expands to the switching region of a modulation magnetic field and a magnetic field is not applied at a sufficient intensity, the quality of a reproduction signal is extremely deteriorated. Therefore, in the case of a magneto-optical recording apparatus, the laser-beam irradiation timing to the change timing of polarities of a magnetic field generated by a magnetic head is set to a timing at which optimum recording can be performed. For example, it is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-40273 to record a test signal in a recording medium by changing time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field for a predetermined recording power, quantify the quality of a reproduction signal obtained from the test signal, and set a time phase corresponding to a test signal whose quality for reproduction is the best as an optimum phase. [0008]
  • A request for further improving the recording density of a magneto-optical recording medium to realize a large capacity has been raised in recent years and it is requested to decrease the pitch between recording tracks and downsize a recording mark. [0009]
  • Downsizing of a recording mark can be settled by accelerating a modulation magnetic field. At the same time, however, there is a problem that it is difficult to secure a sufficient phase margin and thereby, the quality of a reproduction signal is deteriorated. This point is described below in detail. [0010]
  • As shown in FIG. 4, the period Tw-Ts obtained by subtracting a modulation-magnetic-field polarity change speed (hereafter referred to as modulation-magnetic-field switching speed) Ts from a laser-pulse modulation cycle Tw serves as a substantial relative phase margin between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field. For example, when the modulation cycle Tw is set to 25 ns and the modulation-magnetic-field switching speed Ts is set to 15 ns, the phase margin between the laser pulse and modulation magnetic field becomes approx. 10 ns. Moreover, when raising a modulation-magnetic-field frequency in order to increase a density and speed, the period in which a magnetic-field intensity is saturated decreases and the phase margin between the laser pulse and modulation magnetic field is further decreased. [0011]
  • Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 5, when the recording power changes, the phase relation between the laser pulse and modulation magnetic field is also changed by changing a raised temperature and temperature distribution and further changing a magnetic-domain forming position. The same is also applied to a case in which not a recording power but a medium temperature is changed. Therefore, the phase margin 10 ns in the above example is further decreased. [0012]
  • When the above phase margin cannot be sufficiently secured, a phase shift exceeding the phase margin between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field may almost certainly occur due to a phase shift caused by the fluctuation of electrical components constituting an apparatus, a phase shift caused by the temperature characteristic of an electric system, or a phase shift caused due to environmental change such as temperature and thereby a signal quality is deteriorated. [0013]
  • The technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-40273 makes it possible to set a time phase securing a sufficient phase margin with respect to a predetermined recording power. However, the recording-power dependency or cross-write characteristic of a recording medium is not considered at all. Therefore, a signal quality is deteriorated because the phase relation is changed due to the fluctuation of a medium temperature or change of recording powers. [0014]
  • SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
  • The present invention has been made to solve the above problems and its object is to provide a magneto-optical recording method and apparatus for recording information in which, even when a recording power or medium temperature fluctuates, a sufficient phase margin can be secured to obtain a reproduction signal having a preferable quality. [0015]
  • A magneto-optical recording method of the present invention is a magneto-optical recording method of applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to information by a magnetic head while irradiating a magneto-optical recording medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse, and recording the information, comprising: [0016]
  • a step of recording a test signal while changing a recording power and time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field; [0017]
  • a step of reproducing the recorded signal and evaluating the quality of the reproduced signal by using a predetermined evaluation index; and [0018]
  • a step of setting time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field to a value of a time phase of maximizing a recording power margin in accordance with the evaluation result. [0019]
  • Moreover, a magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention is a magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording information by applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to information by a magnetic head while irradiating a magneto-optical recording medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse, comprising: [0020]
  • means for recording a test signal while changing a recording power and the time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field; [0021]
  • means for reproducing the recorded test signal and evaluating the quality of the reproduced signal by using a predetermined evaluation index; and [0022]
  • means for setting time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field to a value of a time phase of maximizing a recording power margin in accordance with the evaluation result. [0023]
  • BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
  • FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention; [0024]
  • FIG. 2 is a timing chart for explaining basic recording operations of the present invention; [0025]
  • FIGS. 3A and 3B are illustrations showing details of the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field phase setting circuit; [0026]
  • FIG. 4 is an illustration for explaining the phase margin of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field; [0027]
  • FIG. 5 is an illustration for explaining the correlation of change of temperature distribution with modulation magnetic field at the time of change of a recording power (Pw[0028] 1, Pw2 and Pw3);
  • FIG. 6 is an illustration showing an operation flow of a first embodiment of the present invention; [0029]
  • FIG. 7 is an illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the first embodiment; [0030]
  • FIG. 8 is an illustration showing an operation flow of a second embodiment of the present invention; [0031]
  • FIG. 9 is an illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment; [0032]
  • FIG. 10 is another illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment; [0033]
  • FIG. 11 is still another illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment; [0034]
  • FIG. 12 is an illustration showing an operation flow in a third embodiment of the present invention; [0035]
  • FIG. 13 is an illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the third embodiment; and [0036]
  • FIG. 14 is another illustration showing a relation between a recording power and an evaluation index in the second embodiment.[0037]
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment
  • FIG. 1 shows a configuration of a magneto-optical recording apparatus of the present invention. In FIG. 1, [0038] reference numeral 1 denotes a magneto-optical disk obtained by adhering a magneto-optical recording medium 3 to a substrate 2 made of glass or plastic and moreover forming a protective film 4 on the medium 3. The magneto-optical disk 1 is supported by a spindle motor with a magnet chucking or the like so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis. Reference numeral 5 denotes schematically an optical head for irradiating the magneto-optical disk 1 with a laser beam and obtaining information from reflected light, which is constituted by a condenser lens (ex. NA:0.60), actuator for driving the condenser lens, semiconductor laser (ex. λ:650 nm), beam splitter, and polarization beam splitter. A laser beam emitted from the semiconductor laser is applied to the magneto-optical disk 1 through an optical-component group. In this case, the condenser lens is controlled by the actuator so as to move in the focusing direction and the tracking direction and sequentially focus on the magneto-optical recording medium 3 and track along a guide groove formed on the magneto-optical disk. The laser beam reflected from the magneto-optical disk 1 is condensed by each sensor in accordance with the difference of a deflected direction corresponding to the polarity of a magnetized magneto-optical recording medium through the optical-component group to output a magneto-optical signal by differentially amplifying the sensors. A controller 6 outputs a recording power and recording signal by using the number of revolutions, recording radius, and recording sector information of a magneto-optical disk and environmental temperature as input information to control an LD driver 7 and magnetic-head driver 8.
  • [0039] Reference numeral 9 denotes a magnetic head for applying a modulation magnetic field to a laser-irradiating portion of a magneto-optical disk when recording is performed, the magnetic head is set at one side of the magneto-optical disk 1 so as to oppose the optical head 5 at the other side of the magneto-optical disk 1. When pulse-emitting a recording laser beam from the optical head 5, the magnetic head 9 simultaneously generates magnetic fields different from each other in polarity corresponding to a recording signal by a magnetic-field modulation driver 8. Moreover, the magnetic head 9 moves in the radius direction of the magneto-optical disk 1 by interlocking with the optical head 5 and records information by sequentially applying a magnetic field to a laser-irradiating portion of the magneto-optical recording medium 3 at the time of recording.
  • The controller [0040] 6 also has a function for controlling a recording sequence and a recording power and moreover, a function for arithmetically analyzing an evaluation index for determining the quality of a signal.
  • A laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit [0041] 10 changes the relative phase relation between the phase of a pulse laser beam for performing pulse irradiation and a modulation magnetic phase, which is mainly constituted by a delay-value selection circuit composed of a delay line and a selection circuit, as shown by an example in FIG. 3A. This example is constituted so as to change driving phases of a laser pulse and change phases of the laser pulse from (a) to (f) with respect to a modulation magnetic field, as shown in FIG. 3B. The selection control of the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit 10 is performed by the controller 6. The laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting 10 makes it possible to select and change the phase relation between a laser pulse beam to be irradiated to the surface of a magneto-optical recording medium and a modulation magnetic field to be applied to the surface of a magneto-optical recording medium.
  • Basic recording operations of a magneto-optical recording medium of the present invention are described below by referring to FIG. 2. In FIG. 2, reference character (a) denotes a recording signal, (b) denotes a pulse-modulation laser beam, (c) denotes a modulation magnetic field, and (d) denotes a recoding-mark string. When recording the recording signal shown by (a), on starting the recording operation a laser power is set to a predetermined recording power as shown by (b) and modulated like a pulse, and at the same time the modulation magnetic field (c) based on the recording signal (a) is applied. In this case, the bottom power of the modulation laser beam is set to “zero.” However, the bottom power is not restricted to “zero” but it may be set to a value other than. “zero.” Moreover, this embodiment is described by assuming that the modulation frequency of a laser beam is equal to a data clock frequency serving as the reference of a data processing operation for generating recording data. However, the modulation frequency is not restricted to the data clock frequency. It is also allowed that the modulation frequency is equal to an integral multiple of the data clock frequency. Moreover, though pulse irradiation is expressed by a duty of 50% in the case of this embodiment, it is not restricted to a duty of 50%. It is possible to use various duties. Then, the recording mark string (d) is formed while a magneto-optical recording medium is cooled by these recording operations. This is the so-called pulse-assisted magnetic-field modulation recording. The hatched portion and netted portion show magnetic domains having magnetizing directions opposite to each other. [0042]
  • In the case of this embodiment, a test signal is recorded in a dedicated recording test region. However, it is not always necessary to form the recording test region over the circumference of a disk. [0043]
  • A magneto-optical recording method of the present invention is described below in accordance with the flowchart shown in FIG. 6. [0044]
  • First, before actually starting recording, a phase Phase_I of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field is set by the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit [0045] 10. (S01)
  • Though an initial set value is not restricted, when the phase relation between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field previously set according to the present invention is stored in a memory, this value may be used as an initial value. [0046]
  • Then, a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in track N of the recording test region. The recording pattern is not restricted. It is allowed to use a recording pattern suitable for an evaluation index for evaluating the quality of a reproduction signal. Jitter, SAM (Sequenced Amplitude Margin), error rate or the like is considered as an evaluation index. Moreover, a recording power margin is determined in a recording power range of not more than a threshold value set in accordance with the relation between an adopted evaluation index and an error rate, that is, in the recording power range in which a preferable error rate can be taken. [0047]
  • For a laser power for recording data in the track N, it is allowed to set a laser power Po standardized for an apparatus as an initial value. Recording is performed by increasing the laser power Po by ΔP*n (n: natural number). [0048]
  • It is allowed to set a minimum unit necessary for an evaluation index to a recording region for changing and recording the above recording laser power. In this case, it is assumed that a disk is divided from So up to Sn in predetermined recording region units in the circumferential direction and the setting of a recording power is changed in the recording region units. [0049]
  • First, recording is performed in the recording region Sk (0≦k≦n) on the track N with the recording power set by Pk=Po+ΔP*k. (S-01) [0050]
  • Then, the track N is reproduced for the recording magnetic domain string in which recording is performed in accordance with the above described method to evaluate the quality of a signal in accordance with an evaluation index. (S-03) [0051]
  • Moreover, when a recording power does not exceed the threshold value of the evaluation index even by increasing the recording power up to Pn, it is allowed to repeat the same recording test by setting the initial value Po to Po+ΔP*n. (S-04) As described above, the upper and lower limits of a recording power margin to the phase Phase_I of a set laser-pulse/modulation magnetic field or the central value of the margin are detected and stored in a memory. (S-05) [0052]
  • In this case, the central value denotes an optimum recording power but it is not restricted. [0053]
  • The above sequences of (S-01) to (S-05) are repeated by changing the phase (Phase_I) of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field (S-06) to detect upper and lower limits and central value of each recording power at each phase. When measurement of the recording power margin at each phase is completed, a phase of maximizing the recording power margin is selected as the time phase of an optimum laser pulse/modulation magnetic field. (S07) [0054]
  • FIG. 7 shows results of measuring recording-power margins when changing three types of phases. In FIG. 7, the axis of abscissa denotes a recording power, the axis of coordinate denotes an evaluation-index value, and a broken line denotes the threshold value of an evaluation index. This embodiment uses an error rate as an evaluation index. [0055]
  • The phase of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field in which a recording-power margin becomes widest is selected by repeating the above measurement to use the phase to record the information on user data. Because an optimum recording power when recording the user data is estimated as almost the median of the selected recording-power margin, the optimum recording power is set to the median of the recording power margin stored in a memory. [0056]
  • According to the above method, it is possible to secure a preferable phase relation even if a recording power or medium temperature fluctuates, it is unnecessary to severely control the recording power or medium temperature, and it is possible to simplify an apparatus and improve a reliability. [0057]
  • Second Embodiment
  • Because a configuration of a magneto-optical recoding apparatus used for the second embodiment is the same as that as shown in FIG. 1, the configuration is described by referring to FIG. 1. [0058]
  • In the case of this embodiment, a test signal is recorded in a dedicated recording-test region. However, the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a test signal is also recorded in adjacent tracks. It is not always necessary to form a recording test region over the circumference of a disk. However, it is necessary that the region is formed over three or more tracks. [0059]
  • Hereafter, description is made along the flowchart shown in FIG. 8. [0060]
  • First, before actually performing recording, the phase Phase_I of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field is set by the laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit [0061] 10. (S00)
  • Though an initial set value is not restricted, when the phase relation is previously stored in a memory in accordance with a technique of the present invention, this may be used as the initial set value. [0062]
  • Then, a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in the track N of a recording test region. Because a recording pattern is not restricted, it is allowed to use a recording pattern suited to evaluate the quality of a reproduction signal. Jitter, SAM (Sequenced Amplitude Margin), error rate or the like is considered as an evaluation index. Moreover, a recording power margin is determined in a recording power range of not more than a threshold value set in accordance with the relation between an adopted evaluation index and error rate. Moreover, a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in tracks N−1 and N+1 at the same recording power. [0063]
  • In this case, though the recording pattern is not restricted similarly to the case of the track N, it is more preferable to avoid the peculiar same state as the case of the track N. [0064]
  • In the case of a laser power for recording data in tracks N, N−1 and N+1, it is allowed to set a laser power Po standardized for an apparatus as an initial value. The laser power is increased by ΔP*n (n: natural number) for the laser power Po and recorded. [0065]
  • It is allowed to set a minimum unit necessary for an evaluation index to a recording region in which the above recording laser power is recorded by changing it. In this case, it is assumed that a disk is divided from S[0066] 0 to Sn in predetermined recording region units in the circumferential direction and the setting of the recording power is changed in the recording region units.
  • Then, steps in and after (S01) are described below in detail. [0067]
  • First, recording is performed in a recording region Sk (0≦k≦n) of the N track at the recording power set by Pk=Po+ΔP*k. Then, recording is performed in recording regions Sk (0≦k≦n) of the tracks N−1 and N+1 adjacent at the recording power set by the above recording power Pk=Po+ΔP*k. It is a matter of course that each of the tracks N, N−1, and N+1 is less than one track because of the characteristic of a cross write test. Therefore, it is necessary to decide n by considering the above mentioned point. (S01, S02) [0068]
  • Then, the track N is reproduced for the recording-magnetic-domain string in which recording is performed in accordance with the above described method to evaluate the quality of a signal in accordance with an evaluation index. (S03) [0069]
  • Moreover, when the recording power does not exceed the threshold value of an evaluation index even after increasing the power up to Pn, it is allowed to repeat the same recording test by setting an initial value to Po=Po+ΔP*n. (S04) [0070]
  • As described above, the upper and lower limits and median of a recording-power margin are detected for the phase of the set laser pulse/modulation magnetic field and stored in a memory. (S05) [0071]
  • In this case, the median denotes an optimum recording power. However, an optimum recording power is not restricted to a median. [0072]
  • The above sequences (S01) to (S05) are repeated by changing phases of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field (S06) to detect the recording power margin at each phase. When measurement of the recording power margin at each phase is completed, a phase of maximizing a recording power margin is selected as the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field. (S07) [0073]
  • FIG. 9 shows results of measuring recording power margins when changing three types of phases in the same manners as in the case of the first embodiment. In FIG. 9, the axis of abscissa denotes a recording power, the axis of ordinate denotes an evaluation index, and a broken line denotes a threshold value of an evaluation index. An evaluation index uses an error rate. In the case of this embodiment considering cross write, [0074] phase relation 2 has the widest recording-power margin.
  • In the case of this embodiment, a recording power margin depends on the influence of cross write. Therefore, there is a case where the same recording power margin can be obtained even for different phases as shown in FIG. 10. In this case, a phase is selected by giving priority to the minimum value of a recording power. It is estimated that the upper limit of a recording power is decided in accordance with a cross write factor in the case of this embodiment. The recording-power upper limit due to the cross write factor may be lowered by a track offset or the like from the central position of an information recording track. Therefore, it is preferable that a recording power margin can be secured in a lower recording-power region. Moreover, in the case of the first embodiment, it is not preferable from the viewpoint of the durability of recording repetitation in a magneto-optical recording medium to set a recording power to a high value though the upper limit is not changed due to cross write. [0075]
  • Because of these reasons, when recording power margins are equal, the phase of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field is selected which can take a smaller value of the lower limit of a recording-power margin. [0076]
  • Moreover, as shown in FIG. 11, when a recording power margin and even the lower limit of the recording power margin become the same value, a phase is selected at which the laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early with respect to a modulation magnetic field. When lower limits of recording power margins are the same, it is preferable to secure in a better state a reproduction-signal characteristic when a recording power becomes higher than the lower limit. When the recording power becomes high, an isothermal line due to irradiation with a laser pulse shifts further backward in the light-beam scanning direction of a magneto-optical recording medium, as shown in FIG. 5, in the case of a temperature distribution under irradiation with the laser pulse. Therefore, to obtain a better reproduction-signal quality at the temperature distribution, a phase at which the laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early with respect to a modulation magnetic field is more preferable. Because of these reasons, when the lower limits of recording powers of recording power margins have the same value in different phases, a phase at which the laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early to a modulation magnetic field is selected. [0077]
  • As described above, the phase of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field is selected and used to record the information on user data. Because an optimum recording power when recording user data is estimated as almost the median of a selected recording power margin, the optimum recording power is set to the median of a recording power margin stored in a memory. [0078]
  • According to this embodiment, it is possible to set a phase relation considering influences of the phase margin of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field and the recording power margin such as cross write. [0079]
  • It is assumed that the above embodiments are executed by using a predetermined recording test region. Moreover, it is allowed to use an unregistered user data region. [0080]
  • Furthermore, it is allowed to execute the above sequences whenever setting a medium to an apparatus or every predetermined time. Moreover, it is allowed to execute the sequences in one of inspection and adjustment steps when a magneto-optical recording apparatus is shipped from a plant. [0081]
  • Third Embodiment
  • Because a configuration of a magneto-optical recording apparatus used for the third embodiment is the same as that in FIG. 1, the configuration is described by referring to FIG. 1. [0082]
  • In the case of this embodiment, a laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field setting sequence is simplified to shorten a test time by considering that the upper limit of a recording power margin is controlled by the cross write characteristic in the case of the second embodiment. [0083]
  • In the case of this embodiment, a test signal is recorded in a dedicated recording-test region. However, it is not always necessary to form the recording test region over the circumference of a disk. [0084]
  • Description is made below along the flowchart shown in FIG. 12. [0085]
  • First, before actually performing recording, the phase Phase_I of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic phase is set to a laser-pulse/modulation-magnetic-field-phase setting circuit [0086] 10. (S00)
  • Though an initial set value is not restricted, when the phase relation between a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field previously set by a technique of the present invention is stored in a memory, this may be used. [0087]
  • Then, a predetermined recording pattern is recorded in the track N of the recording test region. A recording pattern is not restricted. It is allowed to use a pattern suited to evaluate the quality of a reproduction signal. Jitter, SAM (Sequenced Amplitude Margin), error rate or the like is considered as an evaluation index. Moreover, a recording power margin is determined in a recording-power range of not more than a threshold value set in accordance with the relation between an adopted evaluation index and error rate. [0088]
  • In the case of this embodiment, only the lower limit of a recording power margin is measured but a recording power is not increased up to a region for measuring the upper limit of the recording power margin due to cross write. Therefore, in the case of this embodiment, it is not necessary to measure two tracks or more and it is possible to decide the phase of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field by measuring only a track N. [0089]
  • A laser power for recording of the track N can be set by assuming the laser power Po standardized for an apparatus as an initial value. A laser power is increased by ΔP*n (n is a natural number) with respect to the laser power Po to perform recording. [0090]
  • In the case of this embodiment, when a recording power at the lower-limit side of a recording power margin is clearly detected, measurement of the recording power margin in the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field at the time is completed, and measurement of the recording power margin at the next phase is started. This is because the upper limit of a recording power margin is controlled by the cross write characteristic when a track pitch is narrowed and the upper limit is decided independently of the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field. Therefore, to set the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field, it is unnecessary to measure the upper limit of the recording power margin, it is possible to simplify a sequence for setting the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field by omitting the above operation and shorten time. [0091]
  • It is allowed to set a minimum unit necessary for an evaluation index to a recording region in which recording is performed by changing the above recording laser power. In this case, it is assumed that a disk is divided from S[0092] 0 up to Sn in predetermined recording region units in the circumferential direction and the setting of a recording power is changed in the recording region units.
  • First, recording is performed in the recording region Sk (0≦k≦n) of the track N at the recording power set to Pk=Po+ΔP*k. (S01) [0093]
  • Then, the track N is reproduced for a recording magnetic domain string in which recording is performed in accordance with the above described method to evaluate the quality of a reproduction signal in accordance with an evaluation index. (S03) [0094]
  • In the case of this embodiment, when a recording power Pk lower than the threshold value of an evaluation index is detected, the quality of a reproduction signal is evaluated in a recording region in which a recording power is increased by several steps from the above recording power, measurement of a recording power margin is completed when it is confirmed that the recording power Pk is the lower limit of the recording power margin lower than the threshold value, and the lower limit of the recording power margin is detected for the phase of the set laser pulse/modulation magnetic field and stored in a memory. (S04) [0095]
  • When the laser power Po of the initial value is already lower than the threshold value of an evaluation index, evaluation of the quality of the reproduction signal is interrupted, the same recording operation is performed again while decreasing the laser power Po by ΔP*n (n: natural number), and a recorded signal is reproduced to detect the lower limit of the recording power margin. (S05) [0096]
  • The above sequences (S01) to (S04) are repeated by changing phases of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field (S06) to detect the lower limit of the recording power margin at each phase. FIG. 13 shows results of measuring recording power margins when changing three types of phases in the same manners as in the case of the second embodiment. In FIG. 13, the axis of abscissa denotes recording power, the axis of ordinate denotes evaluation index, and a broken line denotes the threshold value of an evaluation index. An evaluation index uses an error rate. [0097]
  • Also in the case of this embodiment in which cross write measurement is not performed, the [0098] phase relation 2 has the smallest value of the lower limit of a recording power margin and the same result as the case of the second embodiment is obtained for the setting of the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field. This is because the upper limit of a recording power margin does not depend on the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field but it is caused by cross write and the lower limit of the recording power margin depends on the phase of the laser pulse/modulation magnetic field.
  • As shown in FIG. 14, because a phase that can be set unavoidably takes a discrete value from the viewpoint of an apparatus, the same lower limit of the recording power margins may be taken under different phase relations according to circumstances. [0099]
  • In this case, a phase relation in which the laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early with respect to a modulation magnetic field is selected. When lower limits of recording power margins are the same, it is necessary to secure the reproduction-signal characteristic in a better state when a recording power becomes higher than the lower limits. When the recording power becomes high, an isothermal line shifts further backward in the light-beam scanning direction of a magneto-optical recording medium in the case of a temperature distribution under irradiation with a laser pulse as shown in FIG. 5. Therefore, in this temperature distribution the laser-pulse irradiating timing for obtaining a higher quality of a reproduction signal has a phase in which the timing becomes relatively early with respect to a modulation magnetic field. Because of these reasons, when lower limits of recording power margins take the same value in different phases, a phase in which a laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes early with respect to a modulation magnetic field is selected and set. [0100]
  • According to this embodiment, it is possible to set an optimum phase relation considering recording power margins such as the phase margin of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field and a cross-write factor only by recording and reproducing of the track N. [0101]
  • It is assumed to execute the above embodiments by using a previously-formed recording test region. Moreover, it is allowed to use an unregistered user data region. [0102]
  • Furthermore, it is allowed to execute the above sequences whenever setting a medium to an apparatus or every predetermined time. Moreover, it is allowed to execute the above sequences in one of inspection and adjustment steps when a magneto-optical recording apparatus is shipped from a plant. [0103]
  • As described above, according to a magneto-optical recording method and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to most widely set a recording power margin with respect to the problems of the cross write due to decrease of track pitch according to increase of density and the phase margin of a laser pulse/modulation magnetic field in improvement of a high line density and high speed in the case of pulse-assisted magnetic-field modulation recording. That is, it is possible to prevent the quality of a reproduction signal from deteriorating against a change of phase relation due to the fluctuation of a recording power or a medium temperature and secure a preferable signal quality. Moreover, it is possible to prevent the cross write of adjacent tracks at the same time. As a result, it is possible to provide a magneto-optical recording method and apparatus for recording information in which a reproduction signal having a preferable quality can be obtained. Moreover, it is possible to provide a simple and high-reliability magneto-optical recording method and apparatus. [0104]

Claims (10)

What is claimed is:
1. A magneto-optical recording method of recording information by applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to information to a magneto-optical recording medium by a magnetic head while irradiating the magneto-optical recording medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse, comprising:
a step of recording a test signal while changing a recording power and time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field;
a step of reproducing the recorded test signal and evaluating a quality of the reproduced signal by using a predetermined evaluation index; and
a step of setting the time phases of the laser pulse and the modulation magnetic field to a time phase of maximizing a recording power margin in, accordance with a result of the evaluation.
2. The magneto-optical recording method according to claim 1, wherein the test signal is recorded in two or more adjacent tracks.
3. The magneto-optical recording method according to claim 1, wherein when there are two or more time phases of maximizing a recording power margin, the time phases of the laser pulse and the modulation magnetic field are set to a time phase having a minimum value among lower limit values of the time phases having the maximized recording power margin.
4. The magneto-optical recording method according to claim 1, wherein the recording power margin is decided by upper and lower limit values of the recording power capable of a reproduction signal having a predetermined quality.
5. The magneto-optical recording method according to claim 1, wherein the recording power margin is decided by only a lower limit value of the recording power capable of obtaining a reproduction signal having a predetermined quality.
6. The magneto-optical recording method according to claim 5, wherein when there are two or more time phases of maximizing the recording power margin, a phase relation in which a laser-pulse irradiating timing becomes phase early with respect to the modulation magnetic field is selected.
7. The magneto-optical recording method according to claim 1, wherein the test signal is recorded in a previously formed recording-power test region.
8. The magneto-optical recording method according to claim 1, wherein the test signal is recorded in an unused user region.
9. A magneto-optical recording apparatus for recording information by applying a modulation magnetic field corresponding to information to a magneto-optical recording medium by a magnetic head while irradiating the medium with a laser beam emitted like a pulse, comprising:
means for recording a test signal while changing a recording power and time phases of a laser pulse and a modulation magnetic field;
means for reproducing the recorded test signal and evaluating a quality of the reproduced signal by using a predetermined evaluation index; and
means for setting time phases of the laser pulse and the modulation magnetic field to a time phase of maximizing a recording power margin in accordance with a result of the evaluation.
10. The magneto-optical recording apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the setting of the time phases is performed at a time of shipping inspection in a plant.
US10/419,845 2002-04-26 2003-04-22 Magneto-optical recording device capable of setting the time phase of laser pulses and magnetic fields Expired - Fee Related US7136328B2 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP2002126160A JP2003317344A (en) 2002-04-26 2002-04-26 Magneto-optical recording method and magneto-optical recording apparatus
JP2002-126160 2002-04-26

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20030202429A1 true US20030202429A1 (en) 2003-10-30
US7136328B2 US7136328B2 (en) 2006-11-14

Family

ID=29243791

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US10/419,845 Expired - Fee Related US7136328B2 (en) 2002-04-26 2003-04-22 Magneto-optical recording device capable of setting the time phase of laser pulses and magnetic fields

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US7136328B2 (en)
JP (1) JP2003317344A (en)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040252589A1 (en) * 2003-06-16 2004-12-16 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method and apparatus for reproducing recording mark below diffraction limit of light from optical recording medium
US20060007832A1 (en) * 2002-08-29 2006-01-12 Kunihiko Horikawa Information recording device and information recording method
US20120275279A1 (en) * 2011-04-28 2012-11-01 Lsi Corporation Systems and Methods for Laser Write Control

Families Citing this family (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2007122815A (en) * 2005-10-28 2007-05-17 Canon Inc Method for adjusting spherical aberration and focus offset of optical disk device, and optical disk device using the same
JP2008016165A (en) * 2006-07-10 2008-01-24 Canon Inc Recording power adjusting method and optical disk apparatus
US8503125B2 (en) 2011-05-27 2013-08-06 HGST Netherlands B.V. Channel-source laser-pulsing system architecture for thermal-assisted recording
US8908480B1 (en) 2012-09-28 2014-12-09 Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Method and system for providing an energy assisted magnetic recording disk drive using a pulsed laser light
US8891341B1 (en) 2013-03-11 2014-11-18 Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Energy assisted magnetic recording disk drive using modulated laser light
US9123355B1 (en) * 2013-09-16 2015-09-01 Seagate Technology Llc HAMR channel to preamp interface
US9064525B2 (en) 2013-11-26 2015-06-23 Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Disk drive comprising laser transmission line optimized for heat assisted magnetic recording

Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5091897A (en) * 1989-03-09 1992-02-25 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording apparatus having means for delaying an input signal for preventing bit shift
US5233578A (en) * 1988-12-28 1993-08-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of recording information on a recording medium having at least two magnetic layers
US5398227A (en) * 1992-03-03 1995-03-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magnetooptical recording reproducing apparatus and method for determining the power of an irradiating light beam on the basis of a detected amplitude of a recording signal
US5475666A (en) * 1992-03-04 1995-12-12 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Optically modulated overwritable recording device
US5537381A (en) * 1993-09-02 1996-07-16 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Test-writing recording control method and test-writing recording control apparatus and optical recording medium
US5623472A (en) * 1989-05-29 1997-04-22 U.S. Philips Corp. Method and apparatus for recording signals on a record carrier, measurement method and measurement device for use in the recording method and the recording apparatus, and record carrier
US5953289A (en) * 1997-05-28 1999-09-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording-reproducing method utilizing domain wall displacement, and apparatus therefor
US6069852A (en) * 1997-07-08 2000-05-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording-reproducing method for recording an asymmetrical magnetic domain on a magneto-optical recording medium
US6125084A (en) * 1995-08-09 2000-09-26 Hitachi, Ltd. Optical disk device using a recording medium structurally arranged to generate a recording clock
US6125085A (en) * 1997-07-02 2000-09-26 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Optical recording method and device for optimally controlling the width of the recording marks
US6246641B1 (en) * 1997-10-01 2001-06-12 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording-reproducing method and apparatus utilizing domain wall displacement
US6249490B1 (en) * 1998-06-10 2001-06-19 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording/reproducing method and apparatus
US6314061B1 (en) * 1998-10-30 2001-11-06 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Linear high density magneto-optical recording apparatus
US6552967B1 (en) * 1999-05-19 2003-04-22 Sony Corporation Optical output adjusting apparatus based on shortest recording marks
US6661744B2 (en) * 2001-02-05 2003-12-09 Fujitsu Limited MSR magneto-optical recording medium, recording and reproducing method therefor, and storage unit using MSR magneto-optical recording medium

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2000040273A (en) 1998-07-21 2000-02-08 Sony Corp Magneto-optical recording device and its method

Patent Citations (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5233578A (en) * 1988-12-28 1993-08-03 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method of recording information on a recording medium having at least two magnetic layers
US5091897A (en) * 1989-03-09 1992-02-25 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording apparatus having means for delaying an input signal for preventing bit shift
US5623472A (en) * 1989-05-29 1997-04-22 U.S. Philips Corp. Method and apparatus for recording signals on a record carrier, measurement method and measurement device for use in the recording method and the recording apparatus, and record carrier
US5398227A (en) * 1992-03-03 1995-03-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magnetooptical recording reproducing apparatus and method for determining the power of an irradiating light beam on the basis of a detected amplitude of a recording signal
US5475666A (en) * 1992-03-04 1995-12-12 Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Optically modulated overwritable recording device
US5537381A (en) * 1993-09-02 1996-07-16 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Test-writing recording control method and test-writing recording control apparatus and optical recording medium
US6125084A (en) * 1995-08-09 2000-09-26 Hitachi, Ltd. Optical disk device using a recording medium structurally arranged to generate a recording clock
US5953289A (en) * 1997-05-28 1999-09-14 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording-reproducing method utilizing domain wall displacement, and apparatus therefor
US6125085A (en) * 1997-07-02 2000-09-26 Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha Optical recording method and device for optimally controlling the width of the recording marks
US6069852A (en) * 1997-07-08 2000-05-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording-reproducing method for recording an asymmetrical magnetic domain on a magneto-optical recording medium
US6246641B1 (en) * 1997-10-01 2001-06-12 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording-reproducing method and apparatus utilizing domain wall displacement
US6249490B1 (en) * 1998-06-10 2001-06-19 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Magneto-optical recording/reproducing method and apparatus
US6314061B1 (en) * 1998-10-30 2001-11-06 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Linear high density magneto-optical recording apparatus
US6552967B1 (en) * 1999-05-19 2003-04-22 Sony Corporation Optical output adjusting apparatus based on shortest recording marks
US6661744B2 (en) * 2001-02-05 2003-12-09 Fujitsu Limited MSR magneto-optical recording medium, recording and reproducing method therefor, and storage unit using MSR magneto-optical recording medium

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20060007832A1 (en) * 2002-08-29 2006-01-12 Kunihiko Horikawa Information recording device and information recording method
US7274644B2 (en) * 2002-08-29 2007-09-25 Pioneer Corporation Information recording device and information recording method
US20040252589A1 (en) * 2003-06-16 2004-12-16 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method and apparatus for reproducing recording mark below diffraction limit of light from optical recording medium
US7289408B2 (en) 2003-06-16 2007-10-30 Canon Kabushiki Kaisha Method and apparatus for reproducing recording mark below diffraction limit of light from optical recording medium
US20120275279A1 (en) * 2011-04-28 2012-11-01 Lsi Corporation Systems and Methods for Laser Write Control

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US7136328B2 (en) 2006-11-14
JP2003317344A (en) 2003-11-07

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US5568461A (en) Optical information recording and reproducing apparatus
KR100337945B1 (en) Information recording method, information recording media and information recording device
KR100327923B1 (en) Recording condition control method, recording condition control device, and optical recording medium for optical recording apparatus
US6678220B1 (en) Information recording apparatus
US20060092787A1 (en) Recording method and apparatus for optical recording medium
US6058077A (en) Signal reproducing method and apparatus for reproducing information by moving magnetic wall
US7136328B2 (en) Magneto-optical recording device capable of setting the time phase of laser pulses and magnetic fields
US6246641B1 (en) Magneto-optical recording-reproducing method and apparatus utilizing domain wall displacement
US6646968B1 (en) Magneto-optical recording apparatus and method including method for presetting optimum recording power of recording apparatus
US6714230B2 (en) Method for optically recording information on an optically re-writable information medium
US20080151725A1 (en) Apparatus And Method For Optimized Write Strategy Control
KR100211787B1 (en) Magneto-optical apparatus and method
JP4338903B2 (en) Optical disc recording apparatus and adjustment method thereof
JPH06236553A (en) Recording and reproducing method for optical recording medium
JP3762922B2 (en) Optimal recording and reproducing light amount determining method for optical recording medium and recording / reproducing method
EP2398019B1 (en) Optical information reproducing device and optical information reproducing method
US20080253749A1 (en) Recording Apparatus and Method for Optimized Overwriting
JP3762920B2 (en) Method for determining optimum recording light quantity of optical recording medium
JP3762921B2 (en) Method for determining optimum recording light quantity of optical recording medium
JP2001266347A (en) Optical information recording/reproducing method and optical information recording/reproducing device
JP3871330B2 (en) Recording / reproducing apparatus for optical recording medium
JP2003036579A (en) Magnetic optical recording method and device therefor
RU2375765C2 (en) Method and device for determining recording power
EP2132735A1 (en) Apparatus and method for determining write strategy, and apparatus and method for recording data
JP2001052386A (en) Data-recording/reproducing apparatus and its control method, and, data-reproducing apparatus and its control method

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AS Assignment

Owner name: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JAPAN

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MIYAOKA, YASUYUKI;REEL/FRAME:013991/0825

Effective date: 20030417

FEPP Fee payment procedure

Free format text: PAYOR NUMBER ASSIGNED (ORIGINAL EVENT CODE: ASPN); ENTITY STATUS OF PATENT OWNER: LARGE ENTITY

CC Certificate of correction
FPAY Fee payment

Year of fee payment: 4

REMI Maintenance fee reminder mailed
LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362

FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 20141114